Sam Haskins

Sam Haskins (1926–2009) was a British photographer born and raised in South Africa, whose work profoundly shaped post-war photography. Based in London from the early 1950s, he developed a bold and instinctive visual language celebrating life, sensuality, and freedom.

A defining figure of the 1960s, Haskins transformed figure and fashion photography with seminal books such as Five Girls (1962) and Cowboy Kate (1964). Awarded the Prix Nadar, Cowboy Kate became a landmark in photographic publishing. “Arguably the most influential photographer of the 1960s,” wrote Harper’s Bazaar (August 2003), acknowledging the lasting impact of his work.

Often copied but rarely equaled, Haskins was renowned for his exceptional sensitivity in photographing women, earning acclaim “from men and women in equal measure,” as noted by Philippe Garner, photography specialist and Director at Christie’s London. His influence remains visible today, “like a string of DNA throughout contemporary photography,” according to Wayne Ford, former picture editor of The Guardian (Eye Magazine, 2009).